Heater Device Component

ABSTRACT

A heater device for an electronic cigarette includes a vaporiser arranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir and generate a vapour; an airflow path arranged to fluidly communicate with a mouthpiece of an electronic cigarette; wherein the vaporiser includes a first surface and the airflow path is located next to the first surface of the vaporiser; a heater unit including a first surface and a second surface, wherein air is arranged to enter the heater unit via the first surface and exit the heater unit to the air flow path via the second surface, and further wherein air entering the heater unit is cold and air exiting the heater unit into the airflow path is hot; wherein the hot air in the airflow path flow is arranged to flow over the first surface of the vaporiser in a direction towards the mouthpiece.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to vapour generation devices, and morespecifically heaters for vapour generation devices.

BACKGROUND

Vapour generating devices, such as electronic cigarettes, are becomingincreasingly popular consumer products.

Heating devices for vaporisation or aerosolisation are known in the art.Such devices typically include a heater arranged to heat a vaporisableproduct. In operation, the vaporisable product is heated with the heaterto vaporise the constituents of the product for the consumer to inhale.In some examples, the product may comprise tobacco in a capsule or maybe similar to a traditional cigarette, in other examples the product maybe a liquid, or liquid contents in a capsule.

There is a need to improve the experience of the consumer of suchproducts; an object of the present invention is to address this need byimproving the quality of the vapour flow. There is also a need toimprove heater operation; another object of the invention is to addressthis.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect there is provided a heater device for anelectronic cigarette comprising a vaporiser arranged to vaporise aliquid received from a liquid reservoir and generate a vapour, and anairflow path arranged to fluidly communicate with a mouthpiece of anelectronic cigarette. The vaporiser comprises a first surface and theairflow path is located next to the first surface of the vaporiser. Theheater device further comprises a heater unit comprising a first surfaceand a second surface. Air is arranged to enter the heater unit via thefirst surface and exit the heater unit to the air flow path via thesecond surface. The air entering the heater unit is cold and air exitingthe heater unit into the airflow path is hot. The hot air in the airflowpath flow is arranged to flow over the first surface of the vaporiser ina direction towards the mouthpiece.

The heater device may therefore be considered to heat air in the airflowpath. Air within the airflow path may be considered as hot and the hotair is arranged to flow over the first surface in a direction towardsthe mouthpiece. The hot air in the airflow path is therefore able tocombine with the vapour generated by the vaporiser before reaching themouthpiece. The vapour generated by the vaporiser is therefore heated orwarmed by the hot air in the airflow path. The user therefore inhales awarm vapour through the mouthpiece, rather than a cold vapour, whichimproves the mouthfeel of the vapour and the overall sensory experienceduring use of the device.

Allowing air to enter the heater unit via the first surface and exit theheater unit via the second surface provides an efficient means ofallowing air to flow through the heater unit. Providing a flow path forthe air through the heater unit results in substantially direct heatingof the air by the heater unit as the air flows through the heater unit.This results in a more efficient heating mechanism.

The air entering the heater unit is cold and air exiting the heater unitis hot and so the heater unit is therefore configured to heat the air asit travels through the heater unit, providing a compact mechanism forheating the air.

In some examples, the first surface of the vaporiser comprises a heatingportion arranged to heat liquid received from a liquid reservoir of anelectronic cigarette to generate a vapour.

The vaporiser may comprise a capillary portion arranged to allow fluidcommunication between a liquid reservoir of an electronic cigarette andthe heating portion. This allows fluid to flow from the reservoir to theheating portion.

In some example, the vaporiser comprises a vapour flow path arranged toallow fluid communication between the capillary portion and the heatingportion. This allows fluid, in particular vapour, to flow through thevaporiser.

Preferably, the vapour flow path is in fluid communication with theairflow path. This allows the generated vapour to flow from vaporiserinto the airflow path and to the mouthpiece.

In some examples, the heater unit is located within the airflow path.This configuration ensures that the heater unit is located close to theair, in particular the hot air, flowing in the airflow path, avoidingthe need to redirect the air, in particular the hot air, in the airflowpath towards the heater unit, providing a more efficient heaterarrangement.

The second surface of the heater unit may be located substantially nextto the vaporiser. Preferably, the second surface of the heater unit islocated substantially next to the first surface of the vaporiser. Thisconfiguration provides a short distance, in particular a short flowpath, between the heater unit and the vaporiser. Hot air exiting theheater unit is therefore able to reach the second surface of thevaporiser, from which the generated vapour leaves the vaporiser, in ashort amount of time. This ensures that the hot air mixes with thegenerated vapour before the air has cooled down, which results in thehot air heating up the generated vapour. Reducing the amount by whichthe hot air cools down before it reaches the generated vapour results inmore efficient heat transfer due to a larger temperature gradientbetween the hot air and the cooler vapour.

In some examples, a plane defined by the second surface of the heaterunit is at an angle relative to a plane defined by the first surface ofthe vaporiser. The second surface of the heater unit may be angledtowards the first surface of the vaporiser. In other words, the heaterunit may be considered as being directed towards to vaporiser. This hasthe effect that hot air leaving the heater unit via the second surfaceis directed towards the first surface of the vaporiser. This ensuresthat the vapour leaving the vaporiser is efficiently heater by the hotair leaving the heater unit and that the heat from the hot air istransferred to the vapour as quickly as possible in order to raise thetemperature of the vapour.

Preferably the heater unit comprises at least one through channelarranged to allow air to travel through the heater unit from the firstsurface to the second surface. Air therefore passes through the heatingunit, allowing the heating unit to heat the air directly as it travelsthrough the heater unit from the first surface to the second surface.This arrangement provides and efficient method of heating the air.

The heater device may comprise a second heater unit. The second heaterunit may be constructed in substantially the same manner as thepreviously described heater unit, which may be considered as the firstheater unit. The second heater unit may provide substantially the samefunction as the previously described heater unit. In other words theheater device may comprise first and second heater units which are botharranged to receive cold air and heat the received air to produce hotair. The hot air from both the first and second heater units may furtherbe configured to enter the airflow path. The hot air from both the firstand second heater units may then combine with vapour generated by thevaporiser. Providing two heater units within the heater device meansthat a greater volume of hot air is provided to the airflow path, andcombined with the generated vapour, and so the generated vapour isheated up more quickly. In some examples, more than two heater units canbe provided. For example an array of heater units may be provided withinthe heater device. The array of heater units may be positionssubstantially around the vaporiser.

Preferably, the vaporiser may be located between the heater unit, alsoknown as the first heater unit, and the second heater unit. Thevaporiser is therefore located between two separate flows of hot air,one from each of the heater units. This may provide more homogenous andmore efficient heating of the generated vapour by the hot air that exitsboth the first and second heater units. Providing the vaporiser betweenthe two heater units ensures that each heater unit is able to heat thevapour that is closest to said heater unit. This helps prevent the hotair from cooling down before reaching the vapour furthest away from saidheater unit.

The heater device may comprise an inlet path extending between an airinlet and the heater unit. This allows air which is external to theheater unit to enter into the heater unit via the first surface.

According to a second aspect there is provided a capsule for anelectronic cigarette, the capsule having a first end configured toengage with an electronic cigarette device and a second end arranged asa mouthpiece portion having a vapour outlet. The capsule furthercomprises a liquid reservoir arranged to store a liquid to be vaporised,a vaporiser arranged to vaporise a liquid received from the liquidreservoir and generate a vapour, and an airflow path arranged to fluidlycommunicate with the mouthpiece portion. The vaporiser comprises a firstsurface and the airflow path is located next to the first surface of thevaporiser. The heater device further comprises a heater unit comprisinga first surface and a second surface, wherein air is arranged to enterthe heater unit via the first surface and exit the heater unit to theair flow path via the second surface, and further wherein air enteringthe heater unit is cold and air exiting the heater unit into the airflowpath is hot; and wherein the hot air in the airflow path flow isarranged to flow over the first surface of the vaporiser in a directiontowards the mouthpiece.

There may be provided a capsule for use with a vapour generating devicesuch as an electronic cigarette, the capsule comprising the heaterdevice, and any of its modifications, as described herein. In this way,the heater device can form part of a consumable capsule and can bereplaceable in a vapour generation device. In particular, this can bebeneficial when changing to a vaporisable substance of a differentflavour, in a new capsule, as a new heater unit would be used and thegenerated vapour would not be contaminated with residual flavouring fromthe previous vaporisable substance.

According to a third aspect there is provided an electronic cigarettecomprising a main body and a capsule wherein the main body comprises apower supply unit, electrical circuitry, and a capsule seatingconfigured to connect with the capsule.

The capsule comprises a first end configured to engage with theelectronic cigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpieceportion having a vapour outlet. The capsule further comprises a liquidreservoir arranged to store a liquid to be vaporised, a vaporiserarranged to vaporise a liquid received from the liquid reservoir andgenerate a vapour, and an airflow path arranged to fluidly communicatewith the mouthpiece portion. The vaporiser comprises a first surface andthe airflow path is located next to the first surface of the vaporiser.The heater device further comprises a heater unit comprising a firstsurface and a second surface, wherein air is arranged to enter theheater unit via the first surface and exit the heater unit to the airflow path via the second surface, and further wherein air entering theheater unit is cold and air exiting the heater unit into the airflowpath is hot; wherein the hot air in the airflow path flow is arranged toflow over the first surface of the vaporiser in a direction towards themouthpiece.

There may be provided a vapour generating device, for example anelectronic cigarette, comprising the heater device, and any of itsmodifications, as described herein.

The heater device described herein provides and efficient method ofincreasing the temperature of a generated vapour. The heater devicedescribed herein has a simple design which is low cost to manufactureand implement within vapour generating devices. The heater devicedescribed herein provides improved heating performance and morehomogenous heating of air and vapour within the heater device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example, withreference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a portion of avaporisation component for a vapour generation device;

FIG. 2 is a top down view of a portion of a vaporisation component for avapour generation device;

FIG. 3 is another top down view of a portion of a vaporisation componentfor a vapour generation device; and

FIG. 4 is a conceptual cross-sectional view of a portion of avaporisation component in a vapour generation device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A vapour generation device is a device arranged to heat a vapourgenerating product to produce a vapour for inhalation by a consumer. Ina specific example, a vapour generating product can be a liquid whichforms a vapour when heated by the vapour generation device. A vapourgeneration device can also be referred to as an electronic cigarette oraerosol generation device. In the context of the present disclosure, theterms vapour and aerosol can be used interchangeably. A vapourgenerating product, or aerosol generating product, can be a liquid or asolid such as a fibrous material, or a combination thereof, that whenheated generates a vapour or aerosol.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional diagram of a portion of a vaporisationcomponent 100 fora vapour generation device. In this case, thevaporisation component 100 is a heater device 100. The heater device 100uses thermal inkjet technology to vaporise an e-liquid.

The vaporisation component 100 comprises an evaporator component 102,arranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir andgenerate a vapour. A vapour flow path 128 is arranged to fluidlycommunicate with a mouthpiece of the vapour generation device to allowthe generated vapour to flow from the evaporator component 102 to themouthpiece. The evaporator component 102 may also be referred to as avaporiser 102 and may take the form of a heating resistor.

The heater device 100 is in fluid communication with a reservoir 116which is arranged to store a liquid vapour generating product. Theevaporator component 102 (hereinafter referred to as the vaporiser) canbe considered as an evaporator block or heater. Liquid is drawn from thereservoir 116 to the vaporiser 102 by capillary force.

The vaporiser 102 has a first surface 104 that faces toward the vapourflow path 128 of the vapour generation device. The vapour flow path,which may also be referred to as an airflow path 128 of the vapourgeneration device, is a channel through which air flows substantially ina direction towards the mouthpiece when a consumer draws upon themouthpiece. In other words, the airflow path 128 connects air inlets(not shown) within the vapour generation device to the mouthpiece forthe passage of air through the vapour generation device. The airflowpath 128 is arranged to transport generated vapour to the mouthpiecethrough which the vapour is inhaled by a user. Air in the airflow path128 can flow over the first surface 104 in a direction towards themouthpiece. The first surface 104 of the vaporiser 102 can be consideredto be arranged in the airflow path 128

In operation, a potential is applied to the vaporiser 102 by a heatercontrol circuit (not shown) so as to heat the vaporiser 102. This causesthe vaporiser 102 to rapidly heat the liquid on the first surface 104 ofthe vaporiser 102 until the liquid starts to boil and forms an airbubble. The air bubble grows as it is heated until it is large enoughthat it forces liquid droplets out through a nozzle in the vaporiser andinto the vapour flow path 128. After propelling the liquid out of thevaporiser 102, the air bubble cools, which causes it to contract andcollapse. This creates a vacuum which causes more liquid to be drawninto the vaporiser 102 from the reservoir 116. The process then repeats.

As mentioned, liquid is drawn from the reservoir 116 into the vaporiser102 by capillary action. A part of the vaporiser 102, for example asecond surface of the vaporiser, may therefore be thought of as acapillary portion. The first surface 104 of the vaporiser 102 may bethought of as a heating portion 104. In this case, the capillary portionis located between the reservoir 116 and the heating portion 104, and isarranged to transfer liquid from the reservoir 116 to the heatingportion 104. In other words, the capillary portion allows fluidcommunication between the liquid reservoir 116 and the heating portion104 allowing fluid to flow from the reservoir to the heating portion104. The heating portion 104 is arranged to heat the received liquid andgenerate a vapour.

When a user draws on the mouthpiece, air is brought into the airflowpath 128 through air inlets (not shown) connected to the airflow path128 and located distal from the mouthpiece so as to create a pressurechange that draws the generated vapour flow to the mouthpiece, in theairflow as it passes over the first surface 104, for inhalation by theuser.

For clarity, sections of the body of the vapour generation device arenot shown in the Figures, including portions containing controlelectronics, a power source such as a battery, and the electronicsconnecting the vaporiser to the control electronics and power source.

As the skilled person will appreciate, the vaporisation componentdescribed herein, and any of its modifications, can be used as part of acapsule for an electronic cigarette. For example, the capsule includes afirst end configured to engage with an electronic cigarette device and asecond end arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapour outlet. Thecapsule also includes a reservoir arranged to store a liquid to bevaporised and the vaporisation component described herein.

The vaporisation component described herein, and any of itsmodifications, can be also used as part of an electronic cigarette. Forexample, an electronic cigarette comprises a main body and a capsule.The main body has a power supply, electrical circuitry, and a capsuleseating. The capsule seating of the main body is arranged to engage withand electrically connect with a first end of the capsule. A second endof the capsule is arranged as a mouthpiece portion having a vapouroutlet. The capsule also includes a reservoir arranged to store a liquidto be vaporised and the vaporisation component described herein.

In some examples, the vaporisation component 100 of FIG. 1 includes thevaporiser 102 and the reservoir 116 which can be formed as a singlecomponent. In some examples, the vaporisation component 100 is acomponent of the vapour generation device, with the reservoir 116 beingrefillable. In some examples, the vaporisation component 100 of FIG. 1(including the vaporiser 102 and the reservoir 116) can be comprised ina removable capsule for the vapour generation device that can bedetached from the vapour generation device (such as when the reservoir116 is empty of liquid). In this example, the vaporisation component 100can be a replaceable consumable. Alternatively the reservoir 116 can berefilled. In other examples, the vaporiser 102 can be a component of thevapour generation device, and the reservoir 116 can form a removablecomponent that can be detached from the vapour generation device (suchas when the reservoir 116 is empty of liquid).

Further details of the structure of the heater device will now bediscussed.

As shown in FIG. 2 , the heater device 100 further comprises a heaterunit 150 arranged within the airflow path 128 and configured to heat airwithin the airflow path 128.

The heater unit 150 comprises an inlet surface 152, through which airfrom the airflow path 128 enters the heater unit 150, and an outletsurface 154 through which air exits the heater unit 150. A plurality ofthrough-channels 158 are arranged within the heater unit 150 in order toallow air to flow through the heater unit 150 from the inlet surface 152to the outlet surface 154.

An air inlet path 156 fluidly connects the air inlets within the vapourgeneration device to the airflow path 128 such that the air inlet path156 extends between the air inlets and the heater unit 150, in order toallow the air to enter the heater unit 150 via the inlet surface 152.

The air inlets allow air from the surroundings to enter the vapourgeneration device and so air entering the heater unit 150 via the inletsurface 152 is cold air. As the heater unit 150 heats the air that hasentered the heater unit 150, the air that exits the heater unit 150through the outlet surface 154 is hot air.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the outlet surface 154 of the heater unit 150is located substantially next to the vaporiser 102. In particular, theoutlet surface 154 is located substantially next to the first surface104 of the vaporiser 102. In this context, “next to” means located on alateral side of the vaporiser 102 when the vapour generation device isheld vertically in its operative configuration. For example the heaterunit 150 could be located next to a front, rear, left, or right side ofthe vaporiser 102.

As well as being located next to the vaporiser 102, the heater unit 150is positioned at an angle relative to the vaporiser 102. The firstsurface of the vaporiser 102 can be thought of as defining a plane,which is a horizontal plane when the vapour generation device is heldvertically in its operative configuration. The outlet surface 154 of theheater unit 150 can be thought of as defining another plane. This otherplane forms an angle relative to the plane defined by the first surfaceof the vaporiser 102. In particular, the heater unit 150 is angled suchthat the outlet surface 154 faces inwardly towards a middle of thevapour generation device 100. Said another way, the outlet surface 154can be considered as being angled towards the first surface 104 of thevaporiser 102. This means that air that exits the heater unit 150 flowstowards the generated vapour flowing from the vaporiser 102. The hot airfrom the heater unit 150 combines with the generated vapour before itreaches the mouthpiece, as will be described in more detail below.

As illustrated in FIG. 2 , the heater device 100 comprises two heaterunits 150. Each heater unit 150 is configured in substantially the samemanner. The vaporiser 102 is located between the two heater units 150,as shown in FIG. 4 .

The aim of the heater unit 150 is to heat air which in turn heats thevapour droplets produced by the vaporiser 102 in order to increase theoverall temperature of the generated vapour.

The vaporiser 102, which is a MEMS vaporising unit, generates a coldvapour from the liquid, meaning that the liquid does not go through aphase change during vapour generation and nor does the liquid get heatedto boiling point. Inhaling a cold vapour is generally unpleasant forusers and so providing the user with a warm vapour improves the overallinhalation experience. This is achieved by heating air, which enters theheater device through air inlets, and then combining this heated airwith the generated vapour. By heating the air before it reaches thevapour droplets, the warmed air is able to warm the vapour droplets andincrease the overall temperature of the vapour before it flows to themouthpiece to be inhaled by the user.

It is important that the air is heated efficiently and this can beachieved by providing a heater unit 150 with a high surface area tovolume ratio, which can be seen in FIG. 3 . A large surface areaprovides more homogenous heating results in better heating performance.In order to ensure that the heated air does not loose heat, or cooldown, before it combines with the vapour droplets, the distance betweenthe outlet surface 154 of the heater unit 150 and the first surface 104of the vaporiser 102 should be as short as possible. This can beachieved by angling the heater unit 150 towards the vaporiser 102 sothat air that exits the heater unit 150 combines with the generatedvapour at a point close to the first surface 104 of the vaporiser 102.This configuration ensures that any cooling of the air before it reachesthe vapour droplets is minimal.

The heater unit 150 described herein is therefore configured to allowthe heated air to flow towards the vapour in the most direct mannerpossible, for example by providing a short travel distance between theheater unit 150 and the vapour, to ensure that as much heat as possibleis passed from the heated air to the vapour in order to heat the vapour.This provides an efficient heating arrangement which reduces the amountof energy wasted during heating.

Further details of the heater unit will now be described.

The heater unit 150 is a convection heater unit 150 positioned upstreamof the air inlets. The heater unit 150 comprises a heating element 160arranged such that air that flows through the heater unit 150 flowsthrough the heating element 160.

As can be seen in FIG. 3 , the heating element 160 has a porousstructure comprising a plurality of heating pores 166 in order to allowair to pass through the heating element 160. In this example, the porousstructure is a micro porous structure. As well as allowing air to passthrough the heating element 160, the porous structure provides a higherheating surface to volume ratio in contrast to a heating element in theshape of a plate or rod. This allows air passing through the porousstructure to be effectively and uniformly heated.

The heating element 160 is made of a sintered metallic material. Using asintered metallic material is advantageous because the sintering processalready affords a porous structure without the need for machining stepswhen, for example, attempting to create a porous structure from a solidpiece of metallic material. The heating element 160 has a lowtemperature coefficient of resistance, meaning that even after themetallic material heats up the electrical resistance of the metallicmaterial remain substantially constant or changed. This suppresses theoccurrence of hot spots in the heating element and therefore reduces theprobability of a thermal runaway that could result in catastrophicfailure of the heater and/or heating damage to the vapor generationdevice.

The heater unit 150 is provided with a first electrode 162 that is inthe form of a bias plate and a second electrode 164 that is in the formof a grounding plate. In some examples, the inlet and outlet surfaces152, 154 of the heater unit 150 comprise the first and second electrodes162,164. Providing bias and grounding contacts in the form of platesallows more uniform heating of the heating element 160 to be achieveddue to a more spatially homogeneous current flow through the heatingelement 160. The heating element 160 is disposed between the firstelectrode 162 and the second electrode 164 in order to generate a morehomogenous electric field, which leads to more homogenous heating of theheating element 160.

The first and second electrodes 162, 164 comprise a plurality of pores168 configured to allow air to flow through the first and secondelectrodes via the heating element 160.

1. A heater device for an electronic cigarette comprising: a vaporiserarranged to vaporise a liquid received from a liquid reservoir andgenerate a vapour; an airflow path arranged to fluidly communicate witha mouthpiece of an electronic cigarette; wherein the vaporiser comprisesa first surface and the airflow path is located next to the firstsurface of the vaporiser; a heater unit comprising a first surface and asecond surface, wherein air is arranged to enter the heater unit via thefirst surface and exit the heater unit to the air flow path via thesecond surface, wherein the air entering the heater unit is cold and theheater unit is arranged to heat the air that enters the heater unit suchthat the air exiting the heater unit into the airflow path is hot;wherein the hot air in the airflow path flow is arranged to flow overthe first surface of the vaporiser in a direction towards themouthpiece.
 2. The heater device according to claim 1, wherein the firstsurface of the vaporiser comprises a heating portion arranged to heatliquid received from a liquid reservoir of an electronic cigarette togenerate a vapour.
 3. The heater device according to claim 2, whereinthe vaporiser comprises a capillary portion arranged to allow fluidcommunication between a liquid reservoir of an electronic cigarette andthe heating portion allowing fluid to flow from the reservoir to theheating portion.
 4. The heater device according to claim 3, wherein thevaporiser comprises a vapour flow path arranged to allow fluidcommunication between the capillary portion and the heating portion. 5.The heater device according to claim 4, wherein the vapour flow path isin fluid communication with the airflow path, allowing generated vapourto flow from vaporiser into the airflow path and to the mouthpiece. 6.The heater device according to claim 1, wherein the heater unit islocated within the air flow path.
 7. The heater device according toclaim 1, wherein the second surface of the heater unit is located nextto the vaporiser.
 8. The heater device according to claim 1, whereinsecond surface of the heater unit is located next to the first surfaceof the vaporiser.
 9. The heater device according to claim 1, wherein aplane defined by the second surface of the heater unit is at an anglerelative to a plane defined by the first surface of the vaporiser. 10.The heater device according to claim 1, wherein the heater unitcomprises at least one through channel arranged to allow air to travelthrough the heater unit from the first surface of the heater unit to thesecond surface of the heater unit.
 11. The heater device according toclaim 1, further comprising a second heater unit.
 12. The heater deviceaccording to claim 11, wherein the vaporiser is located between theheater unit and the second heater unit.
 13. The heater device accordingto claim 1, further comprising an inlet path extending between an airinlet and the heater unit for allowing air to enter into the heater unitvia the first surface.
 14. A capsule for an electronic cigarette, thecapsule having a first end configured to engage with an electroniccigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portionhaving a vapour outlet, the capsule further comprising: a liquidreservoir arranged to store a liquid to be vaporised; a vaporiserarranged to vaporise a liquid received from the liquid reservoir andgenerate a vapour; an airflow path arranged to fluidly communicate withthe mouthpiece portion; wherein the vaporiser comprises a first surfaceand the airflow path is located next to the first surface of thevaporiser; a heater unit comprising a first surface and a secondsurface, wherein air is arranged to enter the heater unit via the firstsurface and exit the heater unit to the air flow path via the secondsurface, wherein the air entering the heater unit is cold and the heaterunit is arranged to heat the air that enters the heater unit such thatthe air exiting the heater unit into the airflow path is hot; whereinthe hot air in the airflow path flow is arranged to flow over the firstsurface of the vaporiser in a direction towards the mouthpiece.
 15. Anelectronic cigarette comprising a main body and a capsule wherein themain body comprises a power supply unit, electrical circuitry, and acapsule seating configured to connect with the capsule, the capsulecomprising: a first end configured to engage with the electroniccigarette device and a second end arranged as a mouthpiece portionhaving a vapour outlet, the capsule further comprising: a liquidreservoir arranged to store a liquid to be vaporised; a vaporiserarranged to vaporise a liquid received from the liquid reservoir andgenerate a vapour; an airflow path arranged to fluidly communicate withthe mouthpiece portion; wherein the vaporiser comprises a first surfaceand the airflow path is located next to the first surface of thevaporiser; a heater unit comprising a first surface and a secondsurface, wherein air is arranged to enter the heater unit via the firstsurface and exit the heater unit to the air flow path via the secondsurface, wherein the air entering the heater unit is cold and the heaterunit is arranged to heat the air that enters the heater unit such thatthe air exiting the heater unit into the airflow path is hot; whereinthe hot air in the airflow path flow is arranged to flow over the firstsurface of the vaporiser in a direction towards the mouthpiece.